How Ben Carson came back out of nowhere in the Republican polls

A new poll has GOP candidate and retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson
gaining a ton of ground on Republican frontrunner Donald Trump.

Carson gained almost 20 points in the latest New York Times/CBS News poll, released
Tuesday. He's now at 23%, nearly four times where he was in the
poll released prior to August's debate, when he was at just 6%.
By comparison, Trump went from 24% to 27% in
the Tuesday poll.

"Whereas Trump is tough, Carson is gentle. And there's a fair
number of Republicans who want an outsider but still want a sense
of civility and decency," Luntz told INSIDER. "I've met every one
of the 17 (Republican) presidential candidates, and Carson is by
far the nicest. And that plays very well in an election campaign
that is tough and difficult."

A couple of Carson's answers in the August debate
helped him win over conservatives. First, Carson said skin
color didn't matter when he was performing neurosurgery, and that
America needed to move beyond issues of race.

"Conservatives have waited for someone to be able to say that for
decades," Luntz said. "And when Carson made that comment, it made
him loved by Republicans."

The second comment — one that elevated Carson's status as
being an anti-Washington candidate — was when he joked about
being "the only one to take out half of a brain,
although you would think, if you go to Washington, that someone
had beat me to it."

"So every time Carson spoke, every time Carson speaks, he makes
the most of it," Luntz said. "Yes, he's quiet. Yes, he's
reserved. But for a significant percentage of the Republican
electorate, he has exactly the persona they're looking for."

Luntz added that many thought Carson would simply fade away, but
since that debate, he's done the exact opposite. He's winning
many conservatives over with his perceived smarts, nice-guy
demeanor, and a message that resonates with many of the same
Republicans who are rooting for Trump.

Tom Jensen of Public Policy Polling told INSIDER Carson is the
most well-liked Republican. Not only is he now second in the
polls, but he's also the most common second choice for Republican
voters. And on top of that, he's the second choice for Trump's
voters.

So if Trump ends up imploding as many predict he eventually will,
Jensen said it's Carson that stands to gain the most.

Carson's surge in the polls couldn't have come at a better time.
As for Wednesday's Republican debate, Luntz said
Carson could be the biggest winner.

"His support is brand new and not yet solid," he said. "A good
performance tomorrow night solidifies him as a viable and
credible candidate."